1. Vacuum Sewer Systems
2. Vacuum Sewer Systems for industrial complexes
3. Vacuum Sanitation Systems for buildings and ships - Ecosan (Ecological Sanitation)
4. Evacuation of wastewater from trains and aircraft
5. Evacuation of wastewater from Marinas
6. Management of wastewater from hospitals

Advantages of RoeVac vacuum system in comparison to conventional gravity or pumping systems:

• Considerable savings in construction costs
• Much shorter construction period
• Pipelines laid in shallow and narrow trenches
• Small diameter pipelines (d90 - d250 PE or PVC)
• Flexible pipeline construction
• Easy to lay pipelines around obstacles
• Sewers and water mains can be laid in the same trench
• Systems closed to the atmosphere with no leakage or smell
• No manholes along the vacuum sewers
• One central vacuum station can replace many several pumping stations
• No electrical connection apart from the vacuum station
• Higher efficiency of the sewage treatment plant
• Clogging/sedimentation avoided because of  the high velocity in the sewer pipe

Vacuum Sewer Systems

Way of Operation

Depending upon the topography wastewater is collected with a radius of many kilometres around the central vacuum station. Wastewater flows through a conventional gravity drain from each house to a RoeVacR collection chamber installed outside the building.

As soon as a pre-determined volume of wastewater is collected in the collection chambers sump, the hydrostatic pressure activates a pneumatic controller. This pneumatic controller opens a vacuum valve and the wastewater in the chamber is completely evacuated into the vacuum sewer pipe. No electricity is required at the collection chamber as all operations entirely pneumatic.

As air is admitted through upstream vacuum valves, the wastewater flows at high velocity through the sewer system to the central vacuum station. The RoeVacR system guarantees maximum operational safety with minimum energy costs. In some circumstances the vacuum sewers can be laid using trenchless technology or be placed above ground.

All vacuum sewer lines are connected to the vacuum collection vessel installed at the central vacuum station, where vacuum pumps create the required negative pressure (approx. -0.6 bar). The vacuum vessel can be placed inside or buried outside the vacuum station. Discharge pumps transport the wastewater from the vessel to the wastewater treatment plant or to an existing sewer.

RoeVac Collection Chambers

RoeVac Vacuum Valve Units

The valves are activated pneumatically by rising water level in the collection sump.

Vacuum Sanitation Systems for buildings and ships - Ecosan (Ecological Sanitation)

Advantages

Operation
A central vacuum station, comprising vacuum pumps, receiver tank, transfer pumps and associated controls etc, is generally located in the cellar of a building. The various sanitary fittings are each connected to the system via an interface valve. Each valve is activated either by pushing a button or automatically. The differential pressure across the valve evacuates the wastewater and the interface valve automatically closes after a few seconds.

RoeVac vacuum toilet

Available for wall or floor mounting. Both models are available in china and the floor-mounted model is also available in stainless steel.
It has been tested for compliance with European standards.

Ecosan concept

Vacuum toilets and interface valve units are major components of systems where foul and grey water is to be collected and treated separately.

There are numerous examples to demonstrate this. The foul water from vacuum toilets and urinals is collected under vacuum and transported for biological treatment. During treatment biogas is produced having large methane content together with other biodegradable residues. The biogas can be refined and used as an energy source whilst the biodegradable residues can be mixed with other green waste to produce compost. This can be used as a soil conditioner in either horticulture or agriculture closing the recycling loop.

Loops can be closed including the solid waste streams and eventually create an integrated energy concept. The EXPO-project Flintenbreite (Lubeck) demonstrates the system.

Additionally, the black water can also be collected separately for urine and faeces. The reuse of urine has priority. After urine is gathered undiluted and stored for some months, it can be used as a fertilizer in agriculture. Alternatively certain ingredients (phosphates, nitrates etc.) can be isolated for a further use in the chemical industry. For this purpose Roediger has developed the separation toilet.

Evacuation of wastewater from aircrafts, trains and marinas

Airport systems

 

Evacuation of aircraft with mediums such as: freshwater, flushing water or toilet wastewater.

Operation
The aircraft is connected directly to the stationary supply and evacuation units, which are linked to the central supply and evacuation systems in the terminal through underground piping.

Advantages

Train systems

Operation
When the train arrives at the station for cleaning and inspection, the wastewater tanks of the coaches are emptied with the aid of the RoeVac evacuation devices and the freshwater tanks are refilled using the filling devices as shown in the figure above.
On the one hand RoeVacR evacuation systems can be installed inside closed halls. In these halls the operating personnel are able to execute all supply and evacuation services comfortably within a very short time frame.

On the other hand, Roediger can supply systems for outdoor areas. The evacuation units are located either in cabinets or pits. The same method is applied for the fresh water supply units.

Marina systems

Evacuation panels in the docks are connected to a vacuum station via a pipeline network, for the evacuation of wastewater from boats and ships located on marinas at rivers, lakes and the ocean.
The system works like the vacuum sewer one. Appropriate systems are available for both large ships and smaller boats.
Unlike large ships, smaller and medium size boats are not equipped with discharge pumps but with collection tanks for toilet wastewater. Therefore this wastewater must be treated in a sewage plant before it can be transported into the ocean.
A pressure sensor registers when the ship pump is feeding and the same time, a vacuum sensor allows starting the evacuation only if sufficient under-pressure is available in the system. The controlled addition of air ensures a quick transport of wastewater and prevents flooding of the line.

 Restaurants, sanitary buildings and other dock buildings can also be connected to the network.

Advantages

Decontamination plants designed according to the requirements of the hospital, for storage of radioactive isotopes, such as radio iodine (131J), until their radioactivity has been decayed to the acceptable legal levels before disposal.
The steel tanks are made of steel with double wall, designed either for underground installation or room storage.

Decay plant with buried double wall steel tanks.

Examples of Past Projects